A new month means Netflix will release new movies and shows in January. One of those films is Lift, a heist comedy starring Kevin Hart, Vincent D’Onofrio, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Sam Worthington. And Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon, which hit Netflix at the end of December, is still one of the most popular films on the service.
Both Lift and Rebel Moon are action films, one of the best genres in Netflix’s library. Below, you’ll find three action films to watch on Netflix in January. Our picks include the first entry from an iconic franchise, a cybersecurity thriller from a master, and the best film in the DCEU.
John Wick (2014)
Currently, the best action franchise in Hollywood is John Wick. First, the stunt work is as good as it gets, a credit to director and former stuntman Chad Stahelski. Next, every franchise needs a likable and believable action star. And does it get any better than Keanu Reeves? Finally, the John Wick films improve with each film, a rarity in franchise moviemaking.
Before scaling the steps on the Rue Foyatier in Paris in Chapter 4, John Wick was simply a retired hitman looking for purpose after the death of his wife. Now a widower, John has two things left: a 1969 Mustang and a beagle puppy, with the latter being a gift from his late wife. One night, Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen), the cocky son of Russian crime lord Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist), breaks into John’s house with his crew, steals the Mustang, and kills his puppy. That would prove to be an ill-advised decision. John ends his retirement, suits up, and takes on the entire Russian mafia in New York City as he seeks revenge on Iosef and his men.
Stream John Wick on Netflix.
Blackhat (2015)
In 2023, Michael Mann released his first film in eight years with Ferrari. The last film he made before that was Blackhat, a 2015 action thriller starring Chris Hemsworth. Blackhat was a box office flop, and Mann told Variety this past summer that the script was “not ready to shoot.” However, Mann believes the film was ahead of its time with its depictions of cyberterrorism and hacking, which is a spot-on assessment from the legendary director.
Don’t let Mann’s words scare you away. Blackhat is still an entertaining thriller with several exciting set pieces. Hemsworth stars as Nicholas Hathaway, a hacker released from prison to help the FBI investigate deadly hacks at a Hong Kong nuclear plant and Chicago’s Mercantile Trade Exchange. Blackhat is not one of Mann’s five best films. However, an average film from Mann is still better than most action films in 2023. Give it a try and find out for yourself.
Stream Blackhat on Netflix.
Wonder Woman (2017)
Before the pandemic, DC had some serious momentum. It was not on the level of Marvel, but the DCEU had a few hits, including Aquaman and Shazam! But the film that gave fans the most hope for DC’s future was 2017’s Wonder Woman. Directed by Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince, the princess of the Amazon warriors.
When American pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash lands on her island and explains the devastation caused by World War I, Diana believes that a god-like enemy named Ares is responsible for the destruction. Refusing to sit back and watch from afar, Diana joins Steve on the front lines of the war, believing that if she kills Ares, the war will end. It’s on the battlefield where Diana fulfills her destiny and embraces her calling as Wonder Woman.
Stream Wonder Woman on Netflix.
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